1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image generating apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to an image generating apparatus comprising an apparatus body mountable with a paper cassette and a roller feeding papers.
2. Description of the Background Art
An electronic apparatus such as an image generating apparatus comprising an apparatus body mountable with a paper cassette and a roller feeding papers is known in general (refer to Japanese Patent Nos. 2966243 and 2900655, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-298112 and Japanese Patent No. 37233664, for example).
The aforementioned Japanese Patent No. 2966243 discloses a laser beam printer (image generating apparatus) comprising a paper feed cassette (paper cassette) capable of storing sheet materials (papers), a paper feed roller feeding the sheet materials to a printer body, protrusive reference guides provided on the paper feed cassette to be arranged on upstream and downstream sides with respect to the direction for feeding the sheet materials respectively and side regulation springs (pressing portions) pressing second side surfaces of the sheet materials to bring first side surfaces of the sheet materials into contact with the reference guides. In this laser beam printer according to Japanese Patent No. 2966243, the protrusive reference guide provided on the upstream side is so formed as to come into contact with portions of the sheet materials close to ends on the upstream side (rear side with respect to the paper feed direction) while the length thereof is rendered larger than that of the protrusive reference guide provided on the downstream side (front side with respect to the paper feed direction), thereby previously inclining the sheet materials stored in the paper cassette.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent No. 2900655 discloses a paper feeder (electronic apparatus) comprising a paper feed cassette (paper cassette) capable of storing papers, first and second rollers transporting the papers, a guide plate (regulating portion) provided parallel to the direction for transporting the papers for coming into contact with first side surfaces of the papers and a pressing member (pressing portion) pressing second side surfaces of the papers so that the first side surfaces of the papers come into contact with the guide plate. In this paper feeder according to Japanese Patent No. 2900655, the pressing member is so formed as to press front portions of the second side surfaces of the papers.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-298112 discloses an image generating apparatus comprising a paper feed tray (paper cassette) capable of storing papers, a feed roll (roller) transporting the papers, two guide plates (regulating portions) provided substantially parallel to the direction for transporting the papers for coming into contact with both side surfaces of the papers respectively, a plate spring (pressing portion) provided on the second guide plate to press second side surfaces of the papers for bringing first side surfaces of the papers into contact with the first guide plate and a rack member adjusting the interval between the two guide plates in response to the size of the papers. In this image generating apparatus according to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-298112, the second guide plate is so formed as to keep an attitude substantially parallel to the direction for transporting the papers through the rack member provided on a longitudinal end thereof.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent No. 3723664 discloses a paper feeder comprising a receiving plate (paper cassette) capable of receiving recording papers, a paper feed roller transporting the recording papers, two side guides (regulating portions) provided parallel to the direction for transporting the recording papers for coming into contact with both side surfaces of the recording papers respectively and a rack adjusting the interval between the two side guides in response to the size of the recording papers. However, no structure for suppressing an inclination (skew) of the recording papers resulting from the paper feed roller transporting the same is mentioned in relation to this paper feeder according to Japanese Patent No. 3723664.
In the laser beam printer described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent No. 2966243, however, the reference guide provided on the upstream side is so formed as to come into contact with the portions close the ends of the sheet materials on the upstream side, and hence this reference guide is released from the contact with the sheet materials in an early stage after starting the transportation of the sheet materials and consequently the attitudes of the sheet materials are destabilized. In this laser beam printer, therefore, the attitudes of the sheet materials cannot be stabilized when the same are fed, and hence an inclination (skew) of the sheet materials cannot be reliably suppressed.
In the paper feeder described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent No. 2900655, the pressing member presses only the front portions of the second side surfaces of the papers, and hence it is disadvantageously difficult to stabilize the attitudes of the rear portions of the papers. In this paper feeder, therefore, the attitudes of the papers are so destabilized when the papers are transported that an inclination (skew) thereof cannot be reliably suppressed.
In the image generating apparatus described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-298112, the attitude of the second guide plate is kept only by the rack member provided on the longitudinal end thereof, and hence the second guide plate is so unstable in structure that it is difficult to keep the attitude parallel to the direction for transporting the papers. Consequently, it is difficult to stabilize the attitudes of the papers in this image generating apparatus, and the attitudes of the papers are so destabilized that an inclination (skew) thereof cannot be reliably suppressed.
In relation to the paper feeder described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent No. 3723664, no structure for suppressing an inclination (skew) of the recording papers resulting from the paper feed roller transporting the same is mentioned, and hence no countermeasure can conceivably be adopted if the recording papers are inclined (skewed) due to a manufacturing error of the paper feed roller or the like. Therefore, this paper feeder cannot reliably suppress an inclination of the recording papers when the same are transported.